Search Strategy Quiz Questions With Answers

1. You are looking for articles written about East Germany before 1990, how would you refine your search?

By language

By date

By article type

By author

B is correct. Limiting your search by date will allow you to search for articles written before 1990. You can refine your search in many ways, date being just one of them. If you wanted to restrict your search to articles written in English you can limit by language. Putting limits on your search term is another way of filtering out irrelevant material.

Explanation

B is correct. Limiting your search by date will allow you to search for articles written before 1990. You can refine your search in many ways, date being just one of them. If you wanted to restrict your search to articles written in English you can limit by language. Putting limits on your search term is another way of filtering out irrelevant material.

2. If you have searched using your topic keywords and you aren't retrieving many results, what should you always do?

Use synonyms for your search terms

Use a different database

Use only the results you've retrieved

Don't know

A is correct. You could try using a different database but you will probably find you have the same problem. By using synonyms and similar search terms you will increase your chances of finding what you need.

Explanation

A is correct. You could try using a different database but you will probably find you have the same problem. By using synonyms and similar search terms you will increase your chances of finding what you need.

3. Why should you use a search strategy?

To focus your searching

To ensure you will find relevant material

To save you time when searching databases

All of the above

D is correct. Before you begin searching a subject database for relevant material for your assignment it is crucial to plan your search, as you might plan a shopping list. Focusing your search topic, thinking of a list of keywords and limits will save you time and help you find highly relevant material.

Explanation

D is correct. Before you begin searching a subject database for relevant material for your assignment it is crucial to plan your search, as you might plan a shopping list. Focusing your search topic, thinking of a list of keywords and limits will save you time and help you find highly relevant material.

4. Which search strategy is also called a blind search?

Uninformed search

Citation searching

Informed searching

Boolean search

The term "blind search" refers to a search strategy where the algorithm has no information about the problem or the state space being searched. Uninformed search is a type of search strategy where the algorithm has no knowledge or heuristic information about the problem domain, and it explores the search space without any guidance. Therefore, uninformed search is also known as a blind search. Citation searching, informed searching, and Boolean search are not blind searches as they involve some form of knowledge or guidance in the search process.

Explanation

The term "blind search" refers to a search strategy where the algorithm has no information about the problem or the state space being searched. Uninformed search is a type of search strategy where the algorithm has no knowledge or heuristic information about the problem domain, and it explores the search space without any guidance. Therefore, uninformed search is also known as a blind search. Citation searching, informed searching, and Boolean search are not blind searches as they involve some form of knowledge or guidance in the search process.

5. Using a search engine such as Google to search for items on "The depletion of the ozone layer and the impact on health," you would use the words:

Impact, depletion, ozone layer, health

Ozone layer, health

Ozone layer

Skin cancer, ozone layer

None of the above

Don't know

A is correct. Picking out and using only the main keywords will make your searches more efficient.

Explanation

A is correct. Picking out and using only the main keywords will make your searches more efficient.

6. If you wanted to search for documents with the words cancer, cancerous or cancers what would you type in the search box?

Cancer, cancerous OR cancers

Cancer, cancerous AND cancers

Cancer*

Cancer AND cancerous AND cancers

C is correct. By shortening a word to it’s stem (truncation) and adding a wildcard symbol the database will look for articles including cancer plus any endings. This not only saves you having to type in each ending, but also saves you having to remember every ending to a word. NB The wildcard symbol is not always an asterisk. Check the help pages of each database to find out which wildcard they use.

Explanation

C is correct. By shortening a word to it’s stem (truncation) and adding a wildcard symbol the database will look for articles including cancer plus any endings. This not only saves you having to type in each ending, but also saves you having to remember every ending to a word. NB The wildcard symbol is not always an asterisk. Check the help pages of each database to find out which wildcard they use.

7. When conducting a systematic/literature review what is it important to do?

Use a different search strategy for each database

Use the same strategy for each database

Only use one database

Don't use a strategy

B is correct. It’s important to use the same, successful, search strategy for each database you search. This way you will be more efficient, you won’t have to spend time recreating a strategy and your results will be consistent.

Explanation

B is correct. It’s important to use the same, successful, search strategy for each database you search. This way you will be more efficient, you won’t have to spend time recreating a strategy and your results will be consistent.

8. You have to write a paper on the "treatment of depression". Which search strategy would find the least number of documents:

Depression AND psychotherapy Depression AND psychotherapy

Depression OR psychotherapy OR antidepressants

Depression AND psychotherapy AND antidepressants

Depression

Don't know

C is correct. By adding more keywords to your search using AND you are narrowing the amount of articles you will bring up. In contrast, using OR will broaden your search.

Explanation

C is correct. By adding more keywords to your search using AND you are narrowing the amount of articles you will bring up. In contrast, using OR will broaden your search.

9. How many successors are generated in backtracking search?

1

2

3

4

Backtracking search generates only one successor at a time. It explores a path until it reaches a dead end or finds a solution. If it reaches a dead end, it backtracks to the previous decision point and explores another path. This process continues until a solution is found or all possible paths have been explored. Therefore, only one successor is generated in backtracking search.

Explanation

Backtracking search generates only one successor at a time. It explores a path until it reaches a dead end or finds a solution. If it reaches a dead end, it backtracks to the previous decision point and explores another path. This process continues until a solution is found or all possible paths have been explored. Therefore, only one successor is generated in backtracking search.

10. How many types are there in uninformed search method?

2

3

4

5

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Explanation

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